By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) yesterday blasted Trade Union Congress (TUC) president Obie Ferguson over his call to boycott this year’s Labour Day parade, accusing him of profiting from a deal struck with the party while it was in opposition — a claim the union leader has denied.

In a statement released yesterday, the PLP alleged that Mr Ferguson’s appointment as King’s Counsel was the result of a pre-election Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with the party before it assumed office.

Officials also claimed that one of Mr Ferguson’s associates holds a contract with the ministry as part of fulfilling the MOU.

The claims— made hours after Labour and Public Service Minister Pia Glover-Rolle voiced disappointment over the union’s boycott — drew a swift response from FNM leader Michael Pintard, who called the PLP’s admission “extraordinary and deeply troubling.”

Mr Pintard said the accusation — if true — would represent an “egregious abuse of public trust” and a violation of the independent, merit-based process for awarding national titles such as King’s Counsel.

However, Mr Ferguson denied a quid pro quo arrangement for MOU signing, pointing to his academic credentials as proof of merit.

“I hold a bachelor’s degree, I have an associate degree, bachelor’s degree, and a master’s degree,” he told the Tribune yesterday.

The public spat follows the TUC’s announcement to boycott this year’s Labour Day march, citing concerns that the event has become too political rather than a celebration of workers’ rights.

PLP officials have previously said they are preparing to launch their election campaign on Labour Day and have urged supporters to get battle ready.

While not all unions, including the Bahamas Public Service Union (BPSU), plan to withdraw from the parade, some agree the event shouldn’t be politicised.

However, their criticism wasn’t aimed solely at the government.

BPSU president Kimsely Ferguson suggested that umbrella union leaders should never have agreed to sign the MOU in the first place.

“We didn’t participate in the memorandum of understanding because we clearly understand the role of the union and the role of the employer as mandated by the industrial relations act,” he told reporters yesterday.

Yesterday, the TUC president told The Tribune the decision not to march was not driven by the PLP’s political agenda but due to dissatisfaction with progress for workers.

The union leader claimed that less than ten percent of the items in the signed MOU have been fulfilled, citing this as clear evidence of systemic neglect.
 

However, Mrs Glover-Rolle offered a different view yesterday, maintaining that the government has been working through the MOU, with some issues already resolved.

She said several requests, such as the creation of a comprehensive Legal Aid system and the participation of union representatives in international labour events, have been expedited.

However, practical challenges remain in fulfilling some of the changes the unions are pushing for, she added.

She said the TUC wants union representatives on the National Economic Council, but this committee is made up solely of Cabinet members and is not open to special interest groups.

Another TUC request is for the government to facilitate unionization of private employers like Baha Mar and Grand Lucayan.

Mrs Glover-Rolle explained, however, that unionization cannot be imposed by the government; it must be a choice made by the workers themselves.

Several other demands—including wage redefinition, enhanced redundancy pay, mandatory rest periods, and amendments to sections of the Employment Act—are being addressed through ongoing legislative reform.

Other union demands, she added, fall outside the government’s control, such as dictating membership on private pension boards or controlling private health facilities.

She also stressed that the government will not cover the entire $2 million cost to renovate the privately owned House of Labour.

She said while the government has committed to assist, the responsibility lies on unions to collect dues as “they must also have skin in the game.”

Mrs Glover-Rolle also questioned whether the union’s representative would still attend a government-funded trip to Geneva—an initiative she said is under the same MOU that Mr Ferguson now claims is being ignored.

She added: “If TUC president Obie Ferguson’s claims are rooted in principle, we would expect consistency and follow through. But if this is just noise and grandstanding, the public has a right to know that too.”

“It is concerning that while misinforming the public on these matters and denouncing the government, one of Mr Ferguson’s selected affiliates – another MOU fulfillment – has a contract with the Ministry of Labour and Public Service. This person’s job is to improve labour relations, yet he continues to use his platform to do the opposite.”

She concluded by reaffirming the Davis administration’s commitment to protecting workers’ rights, saying Labour Day is bigger than any union president or government.

“It is about workers. This year, like ever year, this administration will be there marching, not for applause, but for principle,” Mrs Glover-Rolle said.

• See BUSINESS for more comments from Obie Ferguson.